Police Shut Down Gang Drug-Dealing In 'Terror Town'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago police on Thursday announced criminal charges against more than a dozen individuals who allegedly controlled a drug-dealing market in the city's notorious "Terror Town" neighborhood.
The sting operation, dubbed "Terror Town II," dates back to September 2010 and targeted illeged activities of the Black P-Stone street gang within the area of 75th and and 79th streets and Yates and Colfax avenues. Chicago police say they utilized surveillance and made undercover drug purchases before executing search warrants to seize cocaine and heroin, vehicles, cash and guns.
Among the defendants is Eric Gauthreaux, 32, the so-called "Prince of Terror Town," a nephew of El Rukn street gang founder Jeff Fort; Gauthreaux was charged with criminal drug conspiracy. Police identified fourteen others who were taken into custody for drug charges. Four others were at large.
During a news conference Thursday, police showed surveillance video of an open-air drug market place known as a "pow-wow line," at 79th and Essex. Pow-wow is heroin.
"These guys were making about $15,000 a day," Nicholas Roti, chief of the Chicago Police Department's organized crime division, said.
Now prosecutors say they've put a stop to that after they arrested 15 gang members and issued warrants for four more. They had a warning for other gangbangers.
"I only got one message: We're not done yet," Brian Sexton, an assistant Cook County state's attorney, said.
